East Meets West
by gaelicchick
Summary: When a band of rag-tag immigrant girls lose their distribution center, they are forced to go to Manhattan, a square off with Jack


Maggie O'Rourke stared up at the towering inferno that had once been the Lower East Side newspaper plant and distribution center. This was not good. It took all the inner strength she could muster to hold back the stream of Irish curses that threatened to spew forth from her mouth. She slowly looked around at the five faces lined up next to her, their hands clasped around the heavy iron bars of the gate, mouths set in firm hard lines, but their eyes all spoke the same question, "What are we going to do now?" One by one Maggie looked at each of her friends, faces covered in soot and ash, all shivering with their feet in 6 inches of snow; and she wondered how such a bizarre mix of people could ever have come together at all. First there was her, 16 years old , who immigrated to this country from Ireland at the age of 9. Like the rest of the girls, she eventually ended up at the Little Sister's of the Poor Orphanage on Orchard St.. Then there was Teresa "Lacy" Felicchi, also 16, from Italy (the girls called her Lacy after the black lace shawl that she always wore, she claimed it was Sicilian tradition, but the girls thought she was just trying to look pretty). Katrina "Kats" Stankovich was 15, and was the only member of her family to survive the crossing from Latvia. Gloria Maria Arosemena de Lacayo was also 16, and from Puerto Rico, and her fiery Spanish temper could almost match Maggie's Irish one. Emma, 15, was the only one of the girls who was born in America, she was from the tenements and had been living in the orphanage since the age of 10. Then their was Frances "Annie" Cabrini, at 9 years old she was the baby of the group. She had been found outside the orphanage when she was two with no identification, so the nun's gave her a saint's name, St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, patron saint of orphans and immigrants. But when the rest of the girls arrived, they thought that a cute thing like Frances was too sweet to be saddled with such an awful name, so they nicknamed her "Annie" after Little Orphan Annie in the newspaper comic strip. They often joked that someday Annie's rich relatives would come back and adopt them all, but that never happened. Three years ago the Orphanage had burned to the ground, the girls couldn't abandon Annie, so they took her with them when they ran from the Refuge wagons. They ran as far as Hell's Kitchen, were no policemen dared look too long for anything or anyone, and had been doing all right, until now. ----------------------------------------- 

It was late, and it was cold. With no home of their own, the girls temporary shelter for the night was an abandoned boxcar near the docks. Emma was in the corner with Kats, cuddled under a blanket and a candle, teaching her more English. Since Kats and Emma were both Jewish, they could communicate roughly through Yiddish and Hebrew, and that was how Kats was learning English and Emma learning Slavic. Gloria was huddled under a blanket writing in her journal, as was her nightly ritual. Lacy was out getting water, and Maggie was putting Annie to bed. After singing her a lullaby and checking to make sure she had two blankets, Maggie grabbed a blanket and climbed onto the roof of the boxcar. A few minutes later she heard a scuffle on the ladder, and saw Lacy climb up. Maggie held out a corner of the blanket and Lacy grabbed it and cuddled under. There was a long pause before Lacy spoke. 

"Maggie, whata are we going to do? The nights are getting colder, anda without de factory, we have no place to sleep. We willa freeze." The factory had mainly distributed to wagons that brought papers to other distribution centers. Since the girls were the only newsies that used it, the operator let them sleep in a small room over the office in winter, when the streets were cold and the girls could get sick. Now that was no longer a possibility. 

Maggie shook her head, "I don't know, but we have ta foind a safe place fer Annie at ta very least. Wot about da convent? Sister Mary Robert still lives der, she would look after her." 

Lacy nodded, "I think she would, but what about da rest of us? Where do we work? How do we eat? And how do we stay out of the refuge?" 

Maggie stared up at the sky, "Emma suggested da Manhattan distribution center. She said dat we are still newsies, so they would hafta sell us papers just like they do here." She saw Lacy start to protest "I don't like da idea any better than you do. We all know dat the Manhattan boys are a possessive lot, but der's just da six of us, maybe tey won't even notice." 

Lacy laughed, "Maggie be serious. Between the accents, me and Gloria's complexions, Kats broken English, and your temper, we couldn't be more-a noticeable than the Popa." 

Maggie grinned, "Well, der's always our back-up plan." 

Lacy's eyebrow shot up, "What-a backup plan? We never have a backup plan. What is dis backup plan?" 

Maggie put a comforting hand on Lacy's shoulder, grinned, and gave her the all no too comforting backup plan. " We run my girl!" ------------------------------------------ 

The November morning was windy and chilly, and the newsies sat on the steps of the distribution center, reading the headlines and searching for stories that would grab attention. No one noticed when the five girls in thin cotton dresses and scarves quietly entered the yard and took their place in line. But soon people began to stare and whisper. There were a few but not many girl newsies in Manhattan, and judging from the accents, clothes, the bizarre lace shawl one of the girls had on her head, and the features of these girls, they weren't from Manhattan. Gloria noticed the attention and nodded to Kats and Emma. The two girls handed their money to Gloria and Lacy, and joined Annie outside the gate, ready to spring into action if there was trouble. 

Lacy was the first in line. She slid her money under the window to Weasel, "200 paper." Gloria did the same, trying to ignore the Delancy brothers whistling at her. Weasel looked at the girls suspiciously, "I don't think I have you on my-" Maggie interrupted him. "Check da listings for da Lower East Side Plant, you'll see Teresa Felicchi, Gloria Arosemena, and Maggie O'Rourke, dats us. We were assured dat we could buy from you wid no problems. She leaned in closer to Weasel's face and said, "After all, we wouldn't want ta create a rucus dat might stop Meester Pulitzer from signing yer meager and undeserved paycheck now would we?" She pressed her money into Weasels hand before leaning back. "150 papers, if ye would be so kind." Weasel looked about ready to explode, but he nodded to the Delancys and the girls received their papers. 

Jack, David, Racetrack and the other newsies had watched the exchange at the window with no sign of amusement. After all, they didn't know who these strangers were. Were they really newsies? Was this some kinda trick by Pulitzer? There was no doubt that the strangers had to be interrogated, but how to go about it? These were goils, they couldn't just pick a fight with them could they? Jack was the first to act. After all, he was the leader, and he had to get to the bottom of this, however unpleasant it may be. Maggie was leading Lacy and Gloria down the steps, carefully stepping around the newsies sitting down since none of them had bothered to get up. Jack stood up, towering over Maggie who was still a step above him, and held out his arm, hitting Maggie in the center of her chest and preventing her from moving any farther. 

Maggie stared down at Jack's hand, which was in a very inappropriate place, up to his face, and back down again to stare at the offending hand. Then quickly, she grabbed his hand and shoved it violently back to his own chest causing Jack to stagger back a step. "Is dat da way yer father taught ya ta treat women?" Jack sneered, and in a voice dripping with sarcasm, replied, "Well, unlike youse," he took a moment to smirk at the holes in Maggie's shoes and the rips in the girls' dresses, "Unlike youse loively ladies, I didn't have nose fadder ta teach me." 

Maggie opened her mouth to reply, but she felt a hand on her arm. Gloria and Lacy had come down to stand beside her on the step. Lacy spoke first, "Well then Meestera..." She looked at jack expectantly. 

Jack gave a supremely fake smile and made a little bow, "Kelly, Jack Kelly." 

Lacy returned his fake smile, "Well then Meestera Kelly Jack Kelly, we all have something in common." 

Jack wasn't sure what to say, and having no witty retort, simply mumbled, "Oh". He looked to Racetrack for backup, but Race was staring at Lacy and when he felt the jab in his ribs could only manage, "Uh..." As Race continued to stare, Jack looked to David, who was staring in a similar way at Maggie, who was staring contemptuously at Jack. All David could say was, "Well..." 

Gloria smiled at the stuttering, and turned to Maggie and Lacy and said, "Porque estabamos preoccupados? Solomente usan palabras muy pequenas, son imbeciles." Which roughly means, "What were we so worried about? They can only use small words, they're imbeciles!" Lacy and Maggie, who had both learned Spanish from Gloria, could not contain their amusement and erupted into laughter. 

Racetrack was livid. "Hey, whats dis? Wha' did she say huh? Youse wanna start somefin say it in English!" 

Maggie was the first to regain her composure. She smiled condescendingly at Racetrack and said. "Der's no need ta get all riled up. All she said was dat it was obvious from yer use a such big sophisticated wards dat you were obviously people of supremely high intelligence and dat she was most impressed." This sent Lacy and Gloria into another fit of giggles, but the newsies just stared at Maggie not quite sure of what to make of her response or how to react to it. 

But Maggie didn't miss a beat. She smiled at them all, laughing behind her big brown eyes and said, "Now, its been wonderful getting ta meet all of ya, but if ye don't mind, we have ta be getting ta work now. Good'day ta ya." And with that she dropped a mock curtsey and lead a still giggling Lacy and Gloria out of the yard. They passed through the gate, where Emma, Kats, and Annie were rolling on the ground, laughing, and handed them their papers. Gloria turned around and gave a final defiant wink before she followed the others down the street, leaving the newsies staring slack-jawed in her wake. ---------------------------------------------- 

It took the newsies about another minute to figure out they had just been had, and by a buncha goils! Jack spoke up first. 

"Well uh, I don't trust 'em. They look wrong." 

Racetrack turned back to the group from where he had been staring as the girls walked out of sight. "Well I dunno Jacky boy, I mean dat one in da lace, she looks kinda-" 

Jack interrupted him. "Aw will youse guys use yer brains fer once? All dey gots ta do is have a pretty face and a skirt and youse all gos weak at da knees." 

David was the first to respond. "Now come on Jack. I think that given the position you put them in they responded as anyone would. You weren't exactly friendly" 

Racetrack got a big grin on his face, "I could tink of a couple of pozishuns-" Jack slapped him in the back of the head. "Hey! What was dat for?" 

"Dream later. Right now we'se gots ta find out were's dose goils comes from and if dey are who dey says they is." 

David piped up, "I think you're right Jack. So we'd better hurry up." 

Blink shoved into the huddle, "Hurry ups' ta do'se what?" 

"Follow them of course. What do you say Jack?" 

Jack grinned, "Sound'zlike a plan ta me. Race, Blink, you'se guys in?" 

Racetrack had a grin from ear to ear. "You mean you'se guys is ask'in me if I wants ta follow tree goi'ges goils? What did yer brains freeze er somthin'? Of course I'm goin'! Blink, ya in?" 

Blink looked around the circle, then down at the stack of papers under his arm. He threw them down and looked at everyone with a huge grin. "Why not? Da runnin wils warm us up, and was a lousy headline anyway!" Then he took off with the rest of the guys across the yard and out into the street. ------------------------------------- After they finished laughing about what happened in the yard, the girls set of for the Kitchen, it was now they're nearest selling area, although normally it was so far from the Lower East side they only went on Sundays. Since this was their first time getting there from the new distribution center, they never bothered to think to look back and see if they were being followed. They headed south, and soon they were out of Manhattan and at 59th St., were into the Kitchen. It was insane for anyone to travel alone in the Kitchen, so they split up in groups of two as usual; Emma and Kats took 11th Ave., Gloria and Lacy took 10th, and Maggie and Annie took 9th. By the time the boys caught up with them, the only ones they could see were Maggie and Annie. 

The boys tried to look inconspicuous as they observed the girls making their rounds. "You means dats dey lives here?" Racetrack was in shock. Even David was getting a little nervous, "Hell's Kitchen is full of the worst criminals in New York, maybe they really are a threat, what do you think Jack?" But Jack was watching Maggie and Annie deal with their "customers". "Deys dif'rent Davie. Look at howse dey talk ta people, dis is der home." 

David looked, and he could see Jack was right. The housewives, store owners, and others that the girls approached clearly knew them. They smiled, gave them a hug, and usually stopped to talk. Almost like they were family. 

As Maggie and Annie moved down 49th St., there were steadily less people stopping and greeting them, the streets looked dead. Until Maggie started her pitch. 

"Read all about it! Terelli hitman kills two in midnight shooting!" 

A man in a black trench coat stepped out of the shadows. "It was three!" 

Maggie turned around with a smile of satisfaction on her face. "I figured dat was da way ta getcha outa hiding. How are ya Patty?" 

The tall man shook his head, "Well if it isn't Maggie O'Rourke. I remember when I was losing ta yer father in poker every Saturday back in da Old Country. Where ha' ya been girl? I haven't seen ya in at least three months!" He picked her up and swung her around, then reached for Annie. "An if it isn't Little Orphan Annie. Ya get bigger every day lassie!" 

Annie looked up into Patty's face. "I remember you!," she frowned, "Ya trew me inta da river last summer!" 

Patty laughed, "Aye, I'm sorry fer dat lassy, but'cha had ta learn how ta swim someday!" He paused, "So what are ya doin down here Maggie, last I heard ye was over on da East Side a da rock." 

Maggie shook her head. "We had a change a plans. But don't try an change da subject Patty," she pointed to the article, "Tell me dis isn't yer work. Ye told me ye were trew wid all dat." 

Patty shook his head and put his hands on Maggies shoulders, "Ya know dat fer yer own protection I can't tell ya a thing. Its nothin dat you would want ta know anyway." 

Maggie nodded. "Jest be careful Patty, yer da last thing I have from Ireland, I need ya around." She paused, "Now, care ta read about da great crime?," she dangled the paper in front of him. Patty chuckled and handed her the money, "Now give it here." Maggie and Annie started to walk away when he called after her , "Maggie!" She turned "What da ye want now?" He smiled, "Ye take care a yerself ya ken?" Maggie smiled, "Aye, I ken Patty. An you be careful were ya point dat gun!" ----------------------------------------- Jack, David, Racetrack and Blink made no move to follow as the girls headed down 9th Ave. past 48th St. and gradually out of sight. David broke the silence. "Well Jack, do you still think they pose a threat?" Jack was silent for a while, "No, dey dont pose no tret." He looked around at the rest of the group. "An from nows on, we aint gonna boder dem no more. Iz dat clear" Everyone nodded. "Good, nows lets get back home. Dis place gives me da creeps." They started back up the avenue. David took a hard look around. He wondered what kind of person it took to grow up here, alone. Suddenly he was very grateful for the family and friends that he had. -------------------------------------------------------------- 

Jack was true to his word, the girls received no more trouble from the newsies. In fact, there was a complete reversal of sentiment. To the girls astonishment, the newsies seemed to regard them with a sort of respect; no more than any of the other newsies, but almost an appreciation and understanding of circumstances. They even, occasionally on the really cold days, let the girls skip to the front of the line since they had the farthest and longest route; but the girls didn't seem to like the preferential treatment, and chose instead to wait it out. 

But beyond respect and courtesy, the newsies never really went any farther in attempts to get to know the new recruits. But as the weather got colder, all that changed. -------------------------------------------------------------- 

Maggie was worried. It was getting cold, and the boxcar wasn't very good at insulting them from the icy wind. Annie's cough was getting steadily worse, Gloria was starting to show signs of a cold, as was Katsy. Lacy and Maggie both were suffering from lack of food, and Emma had already gotten frostbite twice from the holes in her shoes. The girls now rotated shoes during the day to keep that from happening. But this could not go on forever. They had all decided on e night after Annie went to bed, that their first priority should be to find her a place to stay for the winter. They had not wanted to send her to the nuns, but times were hard, and an extra mouth to feed would be to much of a burden to any of their friends in the kitchen; although they would have taken her in despite of it. 

"So it's decided then," said Emma, "We take her there tomorrow, if we wait any longer this cough could get serious." The girls nodded, even then they could hear the sound of Annie's coughing. 

It had not been a happy moment when they told Annie what was going to happen. "But you promised we would stay together, remember!!" She started to cry and clung defiantly to Maggies skirt. 

"Enough of dat!" She told Annie firmly. "We're not abandon'in you darlin', but we can't take care o' you, and you deserve ta be in a warm bed a night; not a pile o' blankets in a railroad car."Annie started to protest, but Gloria shook her head. "What would we do if we lost you? This is the best option Annie my love, and we can still come see you whenever you want. And if we keep you with Sister Mary Robert, she will make sure the Refuge won't know about you." Lacy put her hand on Annie's shoulder, "Don't make this a'harder on us den it has ta be sweetie, we are da ones who hafta live withoutcha!" 

At that Annie smiled, and when the girls had settled things with Sister Mary Robert and left for another cold night in the boxcar , she waved at them from the gate until they were out of sight. -------------------------------------------------------------- 

But things got worse for the girls. Katsy's and Gloria's colds both got worse, and after another two weeks, they only went out every other day. Maggie had caught Annie's cough, and it was rapidly getting worse, Emma and Lacy were no better. At this rate, none of them would be able to work soon, and no work meant no food. As it was, the earnings of Emma, Lacy, and Maggie could barely keep them from starving. They were all getting weaker, and they had less time to visit Annie. 

So it was that on a snowy Wednesday afternoon, Lacy collapsed in the snow just outside the gate from the distribution center. Maggie was already in line to buy her papers, she dropped her money when she heard Emma's yell and raced with her to Lacy's side. 

"Lacy? Lacy!" She shook her gently by the shoulders as Emma gently tapped her on the face. "Lacy wake up! Please wake up!" To their great relief, she regained her senses in few seconds, her eyes glassy and dazed. 

"What-" she was racked with a coughing spell, then continued, "What happened?" "Ya fainted," Maggie replied. Emma put her hand to Lacy's forehead, "Maggie, she's burning up." Maggie's brow creased with worry, and she felt Lacy's forehead, it was indeed burning up. "Jesus Mary and Joseph," she turned to Emma, "Give me yer money, an take 'er home. I'll buy us food an' collect some wood to build up the fire." Emma nodded grimly, them turned back to Lacy. "Can you get up Lace?" 

Lacy nodded, and Emma helped her to her feet. Lacy then took her own money out of her pocket and pressed it into Maggie's hand. "Don't forget ta stop'a by da mission near 59th, dey may have some more blankets in." Maggie nodded, and turned to go up the street to buy food, Emma called after her. "Maggie-" Maggie turned, "Ya?" "Come back as quick as ya can, you don't look good either and it's windy today." Maggie nodded, and started down the street as Emma and Lacy made their way in the other direction. 

David had watched the whole episode from a distance with the rest of the newsies. He turned to Race, "What do you think is going on?" Race shrugged his shoulders, "I dunno Davie, but dose girls don't look good..." He walked away muttering, "Don't look good at all." 

David watched Maggie as she ran up the street to the grocers, as he turned back to get his papers, he saw something in the snow. Coins. It was Maggies money, she had dropped it in the snow when Lacy had fallen and had forgotten it. He picked up the money and put it in his pocket. He would give it back to her tomorrow. -------------------------------------------------------------- 

But the girls didn't show up the next morning, or the next. It was Wednesday, a week after the incident, when, of all people, Annie walked into the yard. 

Annie was scared, while the newsies hadn't bothered her since that first day, she didn't know if she could trust them to help her. But she had to find out what was going on with the girls, and they would be angry if she came back to the boxcar, she had promised to be good. So when Sister Mary Joseph said she was coming to the area to visit a fellow sister at another convent, Annie had asked to go with her. She was supposed to be at the store buying bread now, but that could wait. 

Annie surveyed the boys in the yard. Most of them were tall, talking in deep, loud voices, and shouting to one another. She was so scared she might have run right out of the yard. But then she saw a younger boy. he must have been about her own age, a little older maybe, he was about her same height. "It's now or never, " she thought, and she struck out across the yard to talk to him. -------------------------------------------------------------- David had been watching all week for the girls, so he was hopeful when he saw the younger one enter the yard, but he soon saw she was alone. He was even more shocked when she came up to him, turned, and spoke to Less. 

"Ex-Excuse me." She stammered, tapping on Less's shoulder. Less turned around and regarded her with large eyes. "Yeah?" Annie took a deep breath, trying to give herself courage, and spoke. 

"Have, have you seen any of my friends lately? You know Maggie, or Lacy or Emma or Katsy or Gloria? They were going to come see me on Friday but they didn't, and then Maggie, Lacy and Gloria weren't in church on Sunday, and they never miss church! Especially Maggie and Gloria, they sing in the choir, but not Lacy cuz she's tone deaf and hates to sing and, well anyway have you seen them? Are they here?" She had decided it would be best to blurt the whole thing out quickly in case he tried to send her away, but now she was afraid she had spoken too fast, Less had this flabbergasted look on his face. But he shook his head. "Nope, sorry, they haven't been here since last week, when one of 'em fainted." 

"Fainted!" squeaked Annie, "Who fainted? And what do you mean they haven't been here for a week? They'll starve if they don't work, how are they gonna pay for food?" 

Less didn't know what to say, but luckily, David had heard the whole thing. "I don't know what to tell you, what did you say you're name was?" 

"Annie-well, actually it's Francis Xavier Cabrini, after the Saint of orphans, but the girls thought it was an awful name so they named me Annie instead" David nodded, a hint of a smile playing at his lips, but then he became serious. "Well, Annie, last week one of your friends fainted, and since then none of them have shown up here. And three weeks ago two of them stopped coming, and just the Irish one, the one with the black shawl, and the blond one have been here, and for a week not even them." 

Annie's eyes grew wide in fear. "That's Maggie, Lacy and Emma. That means Gloria and Kats must be real sick, they'd have to be if they weren't workin. Something's wrong I know it." 

Jack and Racetrack had been standing by listening, and Jack spoke up. "You mean youse hasn't seen em neither? Don't youse all live near each other?" 

Anne shook her head. "We used to, we all lived together after the Little Sisters of the Poor burned down, but it got real cold, and since the East Side plant burned down, we don't seem to have real luck with fire, we didn't have a wintering spot. Anyway, its got real cold, and I got sick, so they took me to live with Sister Mary Robert and the rest of the nuns for a while. They used to visit every other day, but it's been over a week now." 

Racetrack stopped her rambling, "So where are deys livin now?" 

Annie paused, reluctant to reveal their hiding place, then gave in and told them. "In a boxcar near the railyards and the docks." 

The boys eyes were wide in surprise. Racetrack spoke first, "You mean youse been livin in dis wether," he gestured to the falling snow and wind, which was rapidly picking up, "in a boxacar?! No wonder deys sick, its a miracle dey ain't dead!" David elbowed him in the ribs to shut him up. He knelt down to bring his head level with Annie's. "Annie, this important, can you take us to the boxcar? Your friends may need help." 

Annie shook her head, "I can't. It's a secret, if anyone found out we could be thrown in the refuge, or they could be shipped back home. I'll go myself, I'll be fine." 

It was Less who spoke up, "Come on, be serious. If ya have to chop wood, or get someone to a doctor, you'de be to small to carry them, I know cuz I would probably be too small to carry someone too. At least let the few of us come with you, you may need the help. Just me, David, Race, and Jack. You can trust them I promise." 

For some reason, such a simple, matter-of-fact statement from a person her own age made sense to Annie. She nodded,"All right then, we'd better hurry." And with that she took off at a run, the boys following her. -------------------------------------------------------------- Maggie was tired. She was alternating between feverish/delirious spells, and when she was not sleeping she had to take care of the others, whom she knew were taking care of here when she was out of it. They were all very sick, that was for certain. Although this was more than a cold she had and she knew it. Her symptoms were not much different from the others', but she now feared this was a result of watching the Rapkin baby a week ago. They baby had been sick and she had been taking care of her, until little Sara had died, of scarlet fever. Please God don't let it be the fever, she prayed. She had avoided the girls as much as possible, staying at the far end of the car, and going out to let the air clear. She struggled with the water bucket, it was heavy, and she had to haul it from the pump at the railyard when no one was looking. The wind whipped at her dress and she wished she was going home to a warm house and a soft bed, not a freezing cold boxcar and a pile of blankets. She stumbled on through the wind and snow, and was soon back at the car door. She beat her shoes against the outside and opened the door a crack, puling back the blanket they had hung inside in front of the entrance to keep in heat, and pushing the water bucket in front of her. Katsy's head appeared, pale and gaunt, and she gave her a weak smile and took the bucket, and helped Maggie up into the car. 

Kats knelt by Gloria, who still had shown no signs of improvement, and Maggie took up post next to Lacy. Emma, thankfully was resting quietly, not having shown any signs of fever, not yet anyway. Lacy, however, shifted restlessly in her sleep, alternating between being flushed with fever or shaking with the chills. Maggie used a damp rag torn from a blanket and wetted with the cool water to cool her forehead. There was still some broth, kept warm from the fire-in-a-barrel the girls had going in a small garbage can in the middle of the room. 

Maggie felt herself dozing off when she heard a peculiar knock at the door. Long-short-short-short-long. Their code. It must be Annie! Maggie glanced at Katsy, but she had fallen asleep against the side of the car, a blanket around her and a hand still on Gloria's brow. Maggie gathered the blanket around her, but she found herself dizzy as she stood up, and had to take a second to get her bearings. The knock was repeated and she heard low voices outside. Was it the police? The refuge? Had they found Annie and forced her to- She stopped, what did it matter? They were in no position to run anyway. At least the refuge would have to give them a warm bed. She pulled aside the curtain that hung in front of the door to lessen the draft, undid the chain around the handle on the car, and tried to pull it open. It took all her strength but someone on the outside pulled and the door sprang open. 

Annie was there all right, but with four newsies? What was this? She didn't have time to say anything. 

"Maggie?" Annie asked, "Maggie what happened, whats wrong?" 

Maggie didn't know where to start, she just leaned her tired body against the doorframe and said, "Ya best come in and see." 

When the newsies entered the car, the scene that met there eyes was not pleasant. Maggie had turned back to tending to one of the other girls on the floor, David didn't know their names, and Annie, upon seeing her friends so ill, had let out a little cry before grabbing a rag and tending to another one. 

But most of David's attention was focused on Maggie herself. She was pale, gaunt, and haggard. Yet she was spending all of her energy caring for the girl on the blanket beside her. "Come on Lacy," she pleaded, holding a tin cup to the girl's lips, "Take a sip a da broth, jest one little sip fer me." But Lacy wouldn't eat. 

Jack spoke, "Youse beens livin here? His voice full of shock and disbelief. Maggie nodded. 

"We don't have a home, if da refuge knew about us, they'd take us fer sure. We used ta winter in the office a da old distribution center but, well dats gone now. We got no place else ta go." 

The boys stared at each other dumbly. "Jack," David said, "If they stay here much longer they could die. They obviously aren't eating enough, it's freezing , and if something happened no one would know they were even out here." Jack nodded, but what could be done, none of them had a home to offer... 

"Wait a minute," Racetrack interjected, "Youse newsies ain'tcha? So whyse doin't ya just live at da lodgin house like da rest of us?" 

Maggie looked up at him, "Ya have a whole house?" 

Race nodded and smiled. "Well it ain't Buckinham Palace, but de rents decent, the beds soft, and its damn better den dis place. Ders udder newsies like youse der too." 

Maggie looked at Lacey's quivering form on the pallet, at Emma restlessly tossing in her sleep, at Gloria's pale face, and the look of utter exhaustion on Katsy's face. What else could they do? It was no little secret that neither the girls or the newsies trusted each other, they had avoided contact since the very beginning. Why trust them now, for all she knew they were waiting to ship her off to the refuge. 

She felt a tug on her arm, and looked to see Annie kneeling next to her, her big blue eyes silently pleading. "They want to help Maggie. When I told them something was wrong they insisted on coming, they wanted to help!" She was silent for a moment , then she climbed into Maggie lap and threw her arms around her. 'Please come Maggie, please! I don't like being in the convent I'm lonely I want to be with you, and Lacy and Gloria and Emma and Katsy, please!" 

Maggie slowly stood up, bracing herself on the door frame and trying her best to appear stronger than she really was. "Well," she sighed, "I don't really have muchava choice in da matter now do I?" 

---------------------------------------- David tried not to stare at the slight figure trudging through the snow and wind beside him. Maggie had refused to let anyone help her along, insisting that it was bad enough that poor Jack and Racetrack had to carry Lacy and Gloria, although judging from Racetracks expression as he shifted Gloria's head to the opposite shoulder, he wasn't minding the chore all that much. Katsy had been able to walk, and she and Less and Annie were supporting Emma, who had refused to be carried, and was making remarkable progress. Annie clung tightly to Maggies free hand, her other was holding the small packs that contained their few possessions, and David carried a few of them as well. Jack had given him a knowing nod when David said that he thought it would be a good idea for him to bring up the rear with Maggie. Despite the bravado, he could tell that she had overworked herself and was ready to drop any minute. Maggie took a blanket from of her back and wrapped it around Annie, whose teeth were chattering. She looked up at David, "How much longer till we get der?" David tried to smile through his chattering teeth,"Nottttt m-much longer." Maggie nodded, but as they trudged along, she began to fall more and more behind the rest of the group. Finally she leaned up against the side of a building. "I'm sorry, "she said,"Could ya jest let me rest here a minute, I'm a wee bit tired-" David caught her as she fell. He scooped up her packs on one arm, and then scooped the unconscious Maggie up in both arms and headed toward the Lodging House as fast as his feet could carry him "What's all this!" exclaimed Kloppman as Jack, Racetrack, Less, and David paraded past him carrying their respective burdens. 

"No time to explain, where's Sammy?" "Right here Jack, what's de matta?" A tall girl with muddy brown hair appeared the top of the stairs, her eyes widened when she saw what the boys had quite literally "dragged in". 

"Sammy, you knows abouts taken care of sick folks right?" Sammy nodded, "I've toldja lots a times, my pops was a doctor before the accident." She looked carefully at the girls, "I don't know, deys could just gots colds, it could be more serious, you'de better isolate 'em. Follow me." 

Sammy lead the boys up the stairs past the girls and boys dormitory floors, all the way to the top of the house, under the eaves in the little used attic. "We'se can keep em comfy up here with dat fireplace, and make sure no ones else gets sick from em, if it's catchin'. Now, out all a you, we'se," she gestured to the little troop of girls that had come up the stairs with blankets and firewood, "can handle it, youse would jest be in de way, out widg you!" 

Nobody ever questioned Sammy when she used that tone, and the boys retreated downstairs in a flurry of footsteps. Sammy turned back to her patients and began getting the room organized. ---------------------------------------------------- 

Maggie was the first to recover. To her great relief she had not caught scarlet fever from the Rapkin baby, and was simply suffering from a combination of hypothermia, dehydration, and malnutrition. A day or so of bed rest and plenty of Sammy's patented broth, and she was feeling well enough to walk about. And as soon as she was ale to walk, she was taking care of the others, despite Sammy's orders. Maggie tried to put it as graciously as possible that she was extremely grateful for what Sammy had done, but, if she did not let Maggie out of bed, she would have to throw her " good intentioned yet thick skulled American arse" out the window. Sammy let her get up. 

Within a week, Maggie was ready to go back to work. She and Annie were rather shocked at the great spectacle that ensued every morning while the newsies were getting ready, and tried to slip out before all the hubbub broke loose. But they weren't fast enough. Racetrack leaped down the steps, picked up Annie, and twirled her around and around above his head. 'Tried ta sneak out didja? Gots'ta get up early in da mornin' ta fool me sweetstuff!" "Put me down! Put me down! Maggie help!!!!!!" Annie laughed. "So sorry my dear, but dunna forget dat it was yer own idea ta pull these scoundrels inta our business, I'm afraid yer stuck with 'im." Maggie replied, trying to keep as straight a face as possible. 

"Bedda believe it! Youse is stuck with us no Irish, weda youse like it or not, "and with that Jack flipped her over his shoulder and carried her halfway down the street like a sack of patatoes. As Maggie laughed and beat her fists against his back, she was reminded of her father. It dawned on her then that for the first time since she had come to this country, she had a home. A real home. 


End file.
